When Harbaugh and Schwartz had dinner in New Orleans

In less volatile times: Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz chat about an hour before Sunday's kickoff. -- AP

After The Handshake That Launched a Million (YouTube) Hits, Lions coach Jim Schwartz was asked about his relationship with Niners coach Jim Harbaugh over the years.

In response, Schwartz didn’t divulge any details. In fact, he didn’t answer the question.

“Like I said, I didn’t expect … after the game went to shake an opponent coach’s hand,” Schwartz said. “Obviously, you win a game like that, you’re excited and things like that, but I think there’s a protocol that goes with this league.”

So who knows about the coaches’ past history. The pair were together with the Ravens in 1998 when Schwartz was a defensive assistant and Harbaugh was playing quarterback.

But there was this Philadelphia Daily News story from the spring that included a bit about Harbaugh and Schwartz being among a group having dinner together at the NFL owners’ meeting in New Orleans in March.

At the dinner, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Schwartz painted a bleak picture to Jim Harbaugh in the event the NFL lockout lasted into the summer and shortened training camps.

“We were having dinner the other night and Jim Schwartz told him basically there’s no way you’re going to be able to get it done (if the lockout lasts into the summer),” John Harbaugh said to the Inquirer. “He told him there’s no way you’re going to be able to accomplish what you need to accomplish in two weeks if this thing lasts a while. Jim just kind of bit his tongue, which is what you’ve got to do in this situation. Because there’s nothing you can do about it.”

On Sunday, Harbaugh was no longer biting his tongue, according to Schwartz.

“I went to congratulate coach Harbaugh and got shoved out of the way,” Schwartz said. “I didn’t expect an obscenity at that point, so it was a surprise to me at the end of the game.”